Stolen-car signal



0st. Z5 1927.

E. c. TAYLOR STOLEN CAR SIGNAL Fileduuly e, 1924 IN V EN TOR.

INSURANCE w, D nw IMHK Patented @ce 25, i927.,

earner Fries.

EDWARD GQOPEBJ TAYLOR, OF lslElf YRK, ll. Y.

STOLEN-CAR SIGNAL.

Application filed July 9, i924. Serial No. 725,013.

My invention is an in'iprovement in stolen car signals, and with respect to its more specific features in signals for temporary attachment to motor cars.

Numerous methods and mechanisms de signed to prevent or to discourage motor car thefts have been. proposed, none of which has heretofore been entirely satisfactory. Such methods and mechanisms are usually in the nature ot impediments to the handling ot the controlling devices et thev car, or to the movement ot the car itsclif, or they are in the nature ot Warning signals, audible or visible, designed to advertise that the car is in the hands oi unauthorized parties.

Those which lock the controlling devices ot the car, do not as a rule, preclude towing, and those which lock the car itself, are usually expensive, troublesome to apply andto remove. Any device which advertises itself to the presumptive thiet, may act as a deterrent to the thet't, and it may act as a stimulant to his Wits in finding a method oi circumvention.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device ot the class described, ot a simple nature, which when in place Will advertise unauthorized use ot the car, and which can not be removed Without causing noticeable damage, not to the car itself, but to one ot its most important and most noticeable accessorics,lthe license plate.

Another object is to provide a device which may be cheaply constructed, sold at a loW price, and which may be applied and removed with a minimum of trouble, and Without the use o1E tools.

TWith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination ot' parts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the term, proportion, size and minor details ot construction, Within ,the scope ot the claims, may be resorted to Without departing Vfrom the .spirit oi the invention.`

ln the drawings forming a part hereof;

Figure l is a front view oi the improved car stolen signal, A in place on the license plate, and looking at the rear oi' the car.

Figure 2 is a plan vieu1 of the blank Ytrom which the signal is formed.

Figure 3 a perspective view ot the signal troni the rear.

Figure et is a rear view oit the license plate with the signal inV place.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the nut.

Figure (i is a detail, in side elevation, of the bolt and nut in place.

Figure 7 is a perspective view oi a part of the signal, showing the boxing for the keyhole slots.

Figure 8 vis a perspective view of the license plate connecting bolt.

ln the presentembodiment of the invention, the signal is a plate of suitable dimensions, and of sheet metal, of a size to cover or partial-ly cover the license plate l of a car, and preferably the signal plate 2 is provided with distinctive markings, indicating unauthorized use oi the car, although it is obvious that the covering of the license plate to lobscure the data .thereon would be in itsell? an eliicient method of attracting attention to the tact that conditions were not norn al with respect to the car.

The blank from Which the signal or sign is formed iscut or otherwise brought to the desired outline, and by means oi crease lines 3, or otherwise, iianges 4 are outlined, Which are afterwards bent at a right angle to the blank, as shown in Figure 3, so that when the sign is in place, it forms with the license plate a box, enclosing the supporting means for the sign, to be laterl described. The ends oi Veach side flange l are separated from the s blank to form tabs 5, which are bent to lap upon the adjacent ends'ot the end flanges, and the tabs are riveted or otherwise secured to the end flanges, as indicated at 6.

Other tabs 7 are provided at each end ot the upper side edge oi the blank,l and the ends ot each tab are separated from the body of the blank, as shown at 8. A keyhole slot 9 is cut in the central or attached portion ot each tab, and the ends ot the tabs are creased to outline two portions l() and ll.` The ends of the tabs are then so bent, that the portions il are substantially parallel With the central or body portion. TWhen the flange Y e at this side edge is bent at right angles to the body o1c the blank, the tabs are bent ninety degreesV further, so that the portions 1l thereof' abutthe :face of the blank body and lie flatV thereon. Y .The portions 11 are riveted or otherwise secured to the blankr lil by to `lock the sign tothe plate, itrbeing* understood that other means is provided, cooperatingwith the. keyhole. slots 9, to support the sign from the plate.` The said means inthe present instance, is constituted by the meanswhich` connects thelicense plate to the car.

The connecting means for the license plate is usually bolts 14, which pass through regis tering openings in a bar formingaa part of the ear, and the bolts are engaged by nutsZ 16, to secure the parts together. In the presentinstance the nuts 16` are ot special construction, eachhaving a reduced portion 17 next the license plate. The reduced portions of the nuts are of a size to fit within the narrow portions ot the key hole slots, while the bodies ot the nuts will pass through the wide portions. f1

When the car is parked, the signal is attached to the licensezplatmby engaging the keyhole slots with the nuts; The hasp is then turnedbaek to bring the openings inthe p'late, signal and hasp into register. and the shackle ot 4the padlock is inserted. It will be noticedthat the hasp is of relatively large arca, tov cover a relatively large portion ot the back of the license plate, Figure 4. vThis is with intention, to prevent or discourage cutting out oi lock, and to leave a noticeabledisliguration ol" the license plate, it done. j

Preferably the' signal is provided .with distinctive markings, advertising the 'un- Y authorized use of thefcar, and the markings are ot such nature that they assist in making the data on the license .plate decipherable. In the present instance, themarkings `are formed bycutouts inthe .body of the blank, the cutouts cooperating to providefwarning legends, indicated at 18 and 119.l rlhe cutouts are in theshape of letters, and theletters iorrn` the legends, Police and Stop me, though it is obvious that any other legend! or legends might be used. y K y In order/to brace and reinforcethe bor:

formed by the signal` and license, plate, portions: oit the material. from: the` cutouts, m-

ydicated. atY 2Q and 2li, and preferably near theV center et the signal, are, bent at al right angle tothexbodyot theblank, and in the:

Y boxes, serve as reinforcements for same direction as the flanges/l, the said portions being of a Width such that when the sign is in place they will contact at their free edges with the plate. The cutouts are of sufficient aggregate area, and so arranged that the data on the license plate is decipherable through them, and at the ends of the sign, which is ot less length than the plate.

Small plates 22 and 23 of softer material than that of the signa-l, may be riveted or otherwise secured to the signal at the upper corners, -or elsewhere, on which may be stamped or otherwise formed data concerning the ownership of the car, and concerning the insurance, or any other data desired. This data will vary of course with the individual signals, but thevsignal otherwise is a stock article of manufacture, with dimensions based on the size of the license pflate. The

stamping ot the data on the plates 22 and;

23` may be done when the signals-are sold.

Y The covering sign not Vonly has means to engage the plate to support the sign, but it has also means to prevent disconnection ot the plate from the car, whichrisa feature of importance, since it prevents substitution owotherfplates, to enable discarding ot' the sign. The sign boxes in the nuts, sol that access to them` for turning cannot be had, and means is provided to prevent turning out of the bolts,iron r the rear ofthe plate.

rlhe said means is in the form of squared yportions 25, adjacent .to the bolt heads,

which portionsengage 1n the usual` slotsin the bar 15,v The portions 25 may'beot any desired polygonal contour,` andy the openings vor Slots of the bar similarly shaped;

ine portions 25`engage within the openings oit" the bar,v and preventV turning of. the Vbolt` .by Y

means mechanism engaging the'head, AV

lock washer is preferablyarranged between the nut and therbolt.` ThisA washer may be oit the saine diameter as the reduced portion'ot' the nut,l and it may serve as an engaging means for the keyhole slots That is, the washer may be Voi thickness auch that no reduction ot the nut necessary. lt is also obvious thatby'backing oilf the nuts a trifle, the keyhole slots might be engaged directly with the bolts, dispensing thus with reduced portion and washer, the boxes servingl aslocklsffor the nuts.

` The improved signal maybe connected with the license plate, either at the front or back of the car, or a signal may be used, with both plates, where two are used, it' desired. The boxes, infaddf. on to theirtunction as the 'sigl Lef-lasse i the sign forming with the plate a box enclosing the supporting means.

3. In motor cars, a covering sign for the license plate having distinctive markings indicating unauthorized use ot the car, and

means to lock the sign to the plate, the distinctive markings including cut outs through which the data on the plate is visible, a part oit the material from the cutouts bent to term reinforcing ribs between the sign and plate.

4. In motor cars, a covering sign for the license plate havingl distinctive markings indicating unauthorized use oit the car, and means to lock the sign to the plate, including means between the sign and plate for engaging the plate to support the sign, the sign having flanges forming with the plate a box enclosing the supporting means.

5. In motor cars, a covering sign for the license plate, to indicate unauthorized use oi the car, means between the sign and plate, for engaging the plate to support the sign, the sign having lianges abutting the plate when the sign is in place and forming with the plate a `box to enclose the supporting means, a portion ot the flange hinged to the sign, to provide a hasp, said portion having an angular extension at the end remote Ytrom the sign, to lap upon the rear tace of the plate, the sign, plate, and hasp havingregistering ol'ienings 'tor the shackle and padlock.

ti. In motor cars, a covering sign for the license plate having distinctive markings indicating unauthorized use of the car, and means to lock the sign to the plate, including means between the sign and plate to support the sign superposed on the plate, said means boxed when the sign is locked to the plate.

7. In motor cars, the combination with the license plate, oll means to connect the plate to the car, including bolts, and nuts having reduced portions next the plate, a covering sign having keyhole slots to engage the redi. 'ed portions, and means to lock the plate and sign together.

8. In. motor cars, the combination with the license plate, yot' means to connect the plate to thecar, including bolts, and nuts having reduced portions next the plate, a covering sign having keyhole slots to engage the reduced portions said slots being boxed when the sign is in place, and means to lock the plate and sign together.

9. In motor cars, the combination with the license plate, of means to connect `the plate to the car, including bolts, and nuts having reduced portions next the plate, a covering plate for the license plate having reyhole slots to engage the reduced portions, the plates forming together a box enclosing the nuts and slots.

10. In motor cars, the combination with the license plate, ot a covering plate therefor, means at one edge ot the plates to con nect them together, and a lock at the other edge, said plates forming together a box enclosing the connecting means.

11. In motor cars, the combination with the license plate, ot means to connect the plate to the car, including bolts, and nuts having reduced portions, a covering sign having keyhole slots to engage the reduce-d portions said slots being boxed when the sign is in place, and means to lock the plate and sign together.

12. In motor cars, the combination with the license plate, and the bar to which it is connected, ot bolts to connect the parts, the bar and bolts having cooperating means to prevent turning of the bolts, nuts engaging the bolts, a covering sign having means to engage the bolts and to box the nuts, and means to lock the sign to the plate.

13. In motor cars, the combination with the license plate, and the means to connect it to the car, of a covering sign, means between the sign and plate to support the plate superposed upon the sign, the plate having mea-ns extending between the edges ot the sign and plate to prevent access to the supporting means.

11i. In motor cars, the combination with the license plat-e, and the means to connect it, to the car, of a covering sign, means between the sign and plate to support the plate superposed upon the sign, the plate having n means extending between the edges ot the sign and plate to prevent access to the supporting means, and means to lock the sign to the plate.

15. In motor cars, a worded signal sign having distinctive markings indicating unauthorizedV use of the car, and having provisions for the display ot ownership data and the like, and means to connect the signal to the car including non-turnable bolts, ilanged nuts, and` boxed slots to engage the flanges, and means to lock the signal to the car.

16. In motor cars, the combination with a license plate, and the means for connecting the plate to the car, ot a covering sign having distinctive markings indicating unauthorized use of the car, and having means between the sign and the plate when the sign is in place engaging the plate supporting means to support the sign.

17. A sign having display means to call attention thereto, and through which the data on a, license plate is readable, means to support the signf in front of the license plate, said means between the sign and. plate. 18. A sign` having display means. to call attention.V thereto, and through which the datafon a license plate is readable, means to support the sign in front of thelicense plate, said means between. the sign and plate, the

' sign having means cooperating with the plate when theL sign is in place to enclose or box the supporting means whereby to prevent access thereto frein the edges of the plate.

19. In combinationk with the license plate,

of a motor car, a sign having distinctive markings indicating unauthorized use of the car, and means tov connect the sign and license plate to the car, including non-turnable bolts i EDWARD. COOPER TAYLOR. 

